Review by Booklist Review
Legend has it that the fountain in the courtyard of the building where Pru Harris lives grants wishes. A wish made there out of desperation with an equally true heart would bring a first true love in unexpected ways. Pru certainly hopes this tale is accurate, because that is what she is going to wish for. Not for herself, mind you, but for Finn O'Riley, the owner of the neighborhood pub. Finn spends his every waking moment taking care of everyone else from his employees to his customers to his friends to his younger brother, Sean and as far as Pru is concerned, it is about time someone started taking care of Finn. Of course, though the fountain may grant wishes, what Pru doesn't know is exactly how unexpectedly her wish will turn out. Best-selling and RITA Award-winning Shalvis launches the first in her Heartbreaker Bay series on a high note with a truly unforgettable romance that will delight longtime fans and new readers alike with its irresistible mix of sassy wit, snappy dialogue, and surfeit of smoking-hot sensuality.--Charles, John Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
It's always such a pleasure to read Shalvis's contemporary romances, and this one-the exciting first in a series-is no exception. Readers will be hooked from the moment they meet Thor, a rescue dog who's a "tubby, afraid-of-his-own-shadow mutt," and his human, Pru Harris, who captains a San Francisco Bay tour boat. Add in Finn O'Riley, co-owner of O'Riley's Pub, and the heartwarming vibe is almost overwhelming; each character is cuddlier than the next. But Shalvis knows exactly how far to push the adorability, and never lets her sweet tale become saccharine. The characters are perfectly imperfect. As Pru tries her best to help Finn find a date while fighting off her own attraction to him, there lurks the little matter of those eponymous lies. They're really nothing more than innocent omissions, but the longer Pru postpones coming clean to Finn about the secrets she's keeping, the greater the threat to their eventual happiness together with Thor flopped contentedly at their feet. The whole package-the glamorous big city locale, the appealing secondary characters, and that Shalvis magic with snappy dialogue-portends a dynamite series. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
From the time her parents died in a car crash caused by her drunk dad, Pru Harris has been quietly trying to repair the damaged lives of the others involved. And she has almost succeeded-except for Finn O'Riley. The magnetically attractive owner of the local Irish pub gave up his baseball dreams to keep his younger brother on track after their father was killed in the accident. More than anything, Pru wants the too-serious Finn to be happy, but when their teasing friendship takes a romantic turn, Pru knows she will risk everything (especially his happiness) when she tells him who she is. A nearsighted rescue dog adds a touch of comedy to this lively and enchanting story. VERDICT A colorful San Francisco setting, a welcoming Irish pub, a group of quirky better-'n-family friends, and a capricious wishing well provide the backdrop for a romance that is both heartrending and hilarious. Shalvis's new series is a stunner. Shalvis (Nobody but You) lives in the Sierras near Lake Tahoe. © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
After losing her parents as a young teen, Pru Harris has spent her time and resources making amends for a tragedy she feels responsible for, which is why she can never fall for her intoxicating new neighbor Finnexcept that she does. Pru loves her life, mostly. She's a captain for a San Francisco tour boat, she's rescued a dog who adores her, and she's just moved into a new apartment that's opened up her social life in a way she never hoped for. Her new circle of awesome friends includes pub owner Finn O'Riley, and despite a blazing attraction between them, Pru is determined to keep him at arm's length, since she has a secret that connects them through a tragic accident that left her guilt-ridden and willing to sacrifice almost everything to help its victims. But thanks to a series of clumsy events that force Finn and Pru together, their relationship zooms past friendship, leaving Pru dazed, in love, and uncertain as to how to come clean about their shared past. Yet the longer she waits, the more untold secrets become trust issues. Shalvis begins a new series that revolves around a close group of friends and a fountain with a reputation as a wish-granting matchmaker. The concept is fun, the friends are engaging and good-natured, and the romance is sexy and touching, so readers will likely overlook the fact that the conflict is a little thin and almost completely created by Pru's intense selflessness and misplaced guilt mixed with an inability to be honest and straightforward, then exacerbated by Finn's odd inability to overlook her one misstep when she's otherwise perfect for him. Which, in the end, makes it pretty easy to overcome. Shalvis has created a love story romance fans can't help but root for and grounds it in an affable community they'll adore. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
